The Outbreak
by warrior-princess-1311
Summary: It's been three years since Taryn and her friends destroyed the curse. Together, August and Taryn have been searching for his evasive mother, but they are about to face their biggest challenge yet. Join them as they battle their oldest enemies and learn new, shocking secrets along the way. Sequel to The Curse.
1. Introduction

**I'm back! :D And so happy! I missed you guys. Did you miss me? ;) **

**So here's the introduction. The first chapter will follow right after it. Until then, enjoy!**

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><p><strong>Introduction<strong>

My name is Taryn Bauer and I'm terrified. My worst nightmares are coming true. Just when I thought I could finally be living a normal life, I was proven wrong. It seemed almost impossible for me to live a normal life. The only things keeping me sane were my friends, though even they had to be distanced from me. It's time to ask again, could things get any worse? The answer . . . I'm afraid to find out.

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><p><strong>Review! I'm not completely satisfied with the title, so that may or may not be changing, depending on if I can come up with anything better. ;)<strong>


	2. Chapter 1

**Here is chapter one! Hope you all enjoy it! I'm hoping to have the next one up within a week. No promises though. Life has been pretty crazy. Again, constructive criticism is most welcome! I'm always looking to improve my writing.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 1<strong>

"Please tell me I'm not the only one seeing this." I breathed as I watched another group appear seemingly out of thin-air.

"Where are they all coming from?" August asked in awe.

I shrugged. "I don't know, but this has Isis written all over it."

August nodded. "I agree. This has to be her doing."

"But how could she be behind this?" I asked. "Both she and Colton are still behind bars."

"That's what I don't get. But I'm going to find out. You with me?" August asked, looking over to me.

I grinned. "Always."

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><p>Welcome back! I suppose you're wondering what's going on. Well, allow me to shed some light on the story. In order to do that though, we're going to have to back a little ways. How about we start with a recap? I suppose you remember our previous adventure. You know the one where I epically defeated my family curse along with the fairy tale curse and its creators? Well, I thought I had defeated it. Until it all started coming back, in the worst way possible. But now I'm just confusing you all again.<p>

It's been three years since August, Dixie and I have escaped the curse. My family has been curse free for the past three years. Isis and Colton are both locked away for a good fifteen years, according to authorities. Together, the three of us are renting out an apartment in some small town that isn't even on the map. We moved away from my old town to live somewhere where no one knew me or Colton. So we ended up in Montana.

Together, August and I had been searching for his mother. We weren't having any luck. It seemed as if she'd fallen off the edge of the earth. No one knew her name or remembered who she was. August tried getting in touch with some old family friends but they didn't have any idea where Laura (August's mother) was. I couldn't help but wonder where she was or if she was even still alive. It had been twenty years since she'd given him up. A lot could happen in that much time.

Enough about the boring stuff. Let's hit the story shall we? Things started getting weird on August's twenty-first birthday, exactly three years to the day when I had been sucked into the curse.

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><p>"Would you two stop doing that?" August complained as he plopped himself down at the kitchen table. "It's starting to get irritating."<p>

"What's wrong with laughing? We can't help it if we find this entertaining." I shot back with a playful smirk.

"The constant giggling is going to drive me insane! Won't you just tell me what you have up your sleeves?" He begged.

I grinned. "Now see, that information is strictly classified."

Dixie broke into another fit of giggles. "Besides, it would be no fun if we told you, now would it?" She asked in between her laughter.

"I told you girls that I don't want anything big. I would just like a quiet evening together."

My face flushed as his eyes landed on me when he spoke the last bit. Dixie seemed to catch on. "Oh, give me a break! Could you two please save that mushy crap for when I'm gone? I promise to give you two your alone time, but I also plan to host this surprise party as well."

"Dixie!" I shouted, slapping a hand over her mouth.

Her eyes went wide as she noticed her mistake. "Maybe he didn't notice."

"Oh, he noticed." August said with a grin. "A surprise party huh? Well, it's not a surprise anymore. So let's just forget it, okay? How about I just take you two girls out for dinner instead?"

"You can't do that!" I told him stubbornly. "If you really don't like the idea of a party, then we can just go for dinner, but Dixie and I are paying. It's still your birthday after all. After that we can do whatever you want. This is your day."

August chuckled as he stood and wrapped his arms around my waist. His chin rested on my shoulder as he whispered into my ear, "Now that sounds like an amazing day."

I allowed a soft smile to crawl up my lips as shivers cascaded up and down my body. Dixie let out a loud, exasperated sigh. "I'm out of here! I'll be back in an hour pick you two up for dinner."

I closed my eyes and leaned into August as he planted a soft kiss right below my ear. "I love you." I heard him whisper softly.

I smiled and turned in his arms so that I was facing him. "I love you too. More than words can express."

He kissed me then. Softly yet full of passion. My arms encircled around his neck and my hands found their way to tangle in his hair. I got so caught up in the moment that I didn't notice Dixie's surprised voice at first.

"Taryn!" Dixie's voice sounded shrill and full of concern. "Get your butt over here! You'll want to see this."

Reluctantly, I pulled away and walked over to where Dixie was standing by the front door. "What is it, Dixie?"

She didn't answer. Instead, she stretched out her hand and pointed across the street. I followed her line of vision until I saw what she was seeing. My jaw dropped and I nearly screamed. This wasn't supposed to happen. They were gone. Destroyed. Never to return. But there was no mistaking it. Standing across the street from our small apartment was non-other than the Stepmother from Cinderella. Still dressed in her fine clothing, she looked completely lost and confused. A car drove past her and she nearly passed out. She probably would have screamed if she hadn't been so completely shocked.

"You're seeing what I'm seeing . . . right?" Dixie asked unbelievingly.

"I wish I wasn't." I replied quietly. I knew what I was seeing, I just couldn't believe it.

"What are you two looking at that's so interesting? It certainly can't be any more entertaining than I am." August teased as he came up behind us.

"I don't think entertaining is the right word." Dixie told him.

August's eyes scanned the surrounding area carefully as he tried to find what we were seeing. "I don't see anything other than that old lady who played the Stepmother in Cinderella." His sentence slowly died out as he finally registered what he was saying. "What in the world is she doing here?" He asked incredulously, his voice rising a few octaves.

"That's what I intend to find out." I took a step toward exiting the building but August pulled me back.

"No. You can't let her see you. Who knows what she's doing here. We have to be extremely careful until we figure it out." He warned me.

I sighed and rolled my eyes. "Fine, we'll play it safe. I don't see why though, there's only one of her. She's not even the most dangerous. It's not like every evil character has shown up." As if on cue, as soon as my sentence was finished, a loud popping sound came from across the street. I whipped my head around to look and found the wolf from _Little Red Riding Hood_ standing beside the Lady Tremaine. "Okay, now you can feel free to freak out all you want."

My heart started racing in fear as soon as I laid eyes on the beautiful grey wolf. He was the only villain in any of the stories that I still truly feared. He was the only one to ever do any real damage to me. My eyes trailed down to my arm where I still had big, ugly scars to remind me of what he could do.

I jumped when I felt August's hand on my arm. He gave a small reassuring smile. "It's alright. I promise I won't let him hurt you again."

I gave a grateful smile before turning back to the doorway. I gently reached out and pulled Dixie back a few steps and then shut the door. I made sure it was bolted tight and then I slowly backed away.

"What's happening?" Dixie whispered, the fear evident in her voice. Being back in the real world had seemed to bring out more of a vulnerable side to her.

I swallowed hard and turned to face her. "I don't know. But I don't like it. I don't like it one bit."

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><p>We spent the rest of the evening huddled together in the living room. The wolf and Lady Tremaine eventually left, heading down the street toward downtown. None of us left the house though. We just didn't feel safe.<p>

We turned on a movie and I curled up on the love seat with August while Dixie sat in the rocking chair with a large bowl of popcorn.

It took her a grand total of five minutes to fall asleep. I was surprised she didn't face plant into her bowl of popcorn. August seemed to be drifting off as well, but I couldn't get myself to relax. The sight of that wolf had really shaken me up. I thought I had finally escaped the curse. That I would never have to face those creatures again. I still had nightmares about it. I would wake up every night in a cold sweat. The others even said that they could hear me screaming some times. Most of the dreams were of Alfie. I still half-expected him to come waltzing through the door, complaining about how tired he was from a long day. I had to keep telling myself that he was gone and that he wasn't coming back. It was like losing a family member. I didn't think I would ever get over it.

My mind continued to race at a hundred miles per hour. How in the world could they have gotten here? Hadn't we destroyed the curse and everything in it? It had been three years. If this was going to happen, why hadn't it happened earlier? (Not that I was complaining.)

Something was happening. Something big. And I had to find out what before it became too late.

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><p><strong>As usual . . . review! <strong>** Tell me what you think. :)**


	3. Chapter 2

**Sorry this one took so long to get up! Our internet quit for a while so I had no way of updating. I'm so excited for this story and I'm glad to see that you guys are as well! Hopefully the next chapter will be up sooner.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

The next few days were tense. I never once left the house. Dixie was jumping up to check the windows every five minutes. August was the only one brave enough to leave the house and go to the store for the essentials. He kept reassuring me that it was alright for me to be concerned, but I was still kicking myself. I thought I was stronger than this. After everything I'd been through, something like this shouldn't terrify me so badly. It wasn't like they were knocking down our door or anything.

Dixie once again shuffled toward the window and peered out. She sighed in relief and then planted herself down in the chair again. I brought my knees to my chest and did my best to remain calm. This was so unlike me. What was wrong with me?

"You okay?" August's voice sounded from directly behind my head, causing me to nearly jump out of my skin. "Calm down, Taryn." He came around the couch and sat down beside me. "I promise nothing is going to happen to you as long as I have something to say about it. There hasn't been any sign of either of them for the past few days. I think it's safe to say that they're gone."

"You don't know that. You can't know for sure where they are. For all we know, they could be lurking right outside the door." Dixie spoke up, her voice dripping with fear. "What if they're here for me? I can't go back there you guys."

"Dixie, you aren't helping." August said in a firm voice. "They aren't here to get you. The curse was destroyed, remember?"

"Really? Then where did they come from? How did they get here if the curse really was destroyed, huh? Answer that one, Mr. Know-it-all." Dixie shot back.

"Look, all I know is that the curse itself was destroyed. I never said the characters where. There's no chance you're going back."

"Again, how can you know for sure? You don't know anything!" Their voices continued to rise as the argument grew.

"Just trust me, alright?! I don't want to fight here so let's just calm down!"

"Says the guy who's screaming at me!"

The sound of someone knocking on the front door shut them both up. My head slowly turned in the direction of the sound. I couldn't breathe. Every muscle in my body had gone rigid. Whoever was at the door continued to knock relentlessly. With a shaky breath, August stood from his spot on the couch. I quickly grabbed his wrist and pulled him back down, shaking my head violently.

"It's alright, Taryn. I'm just going to see who's at the door." He gave me a soft smile, though I could tell it was forced. Reluctantly, I let him go.

Dixie and I both held our breath as we watched August make his way to the front door. Slowly, he cracked it open to peer outside. Once he saw who it was, August sighed in relief and opened the door fully. I let out a shaky breath as soon as I realized it was simply the landlord.

"I'm here to collect the rent." He said in his gruff voice.

"Of course." August said with a genuine smile, and raced into the kitchen to grab the money.

"You kids look a little spooked. Everything alright in here?" He asked.

I couldn't get myself to speak, but thankfully Dixie stepped in. "Everything's fine, thank you."

Just then, August came back into the room. "Here you are." He was still wearing a smile as he handed over the money. "Thank you for stopping by."

The landlord looked a little confused but he took the money and left without another word. He probably thought we were just a bunch of wacky kids.

"See, I told you there was nothing to worry about." August said, somewhat smugly as he took a seat on the couch again.

"Oh, don't act so smug. You were scared there for a while too." Dixie shot back.

August simply rolled his eyes in reply. He looked to me and his brows furrowed in concern. "Are you alright, Taryn?" He asked gently.

I couldn't respond. My heart felt like it was about to burst out from my chest. My muscles were so tight I feared they would all snap in two. I wasn't even sure if I was breathing or not. All I could see, ever since I heard the first knock at the door was the wolf, his teeth bared and his yellow eyes fixed on me. I couldn't get the image from my head and it was paralyzing me. I could still feel the pain of the wolf's jaw on my arm. The scars burned from the memory.

"Is she crying?" Dixie asked. I felt more than saw her, come over and sit beside me.

I hadn't noticed the tears slipping from my eyes until Dixie mentioned them. This was ridiculous. I was stronger than this! I needed to get over this. I was going to drive myself insane. I had defeated the wolf once (we won't even go into the fact that it was Alfie who had killed him) and I could do it again.

I felt August lay his hand on my shoulder, but I shrugged it off. With a frown of determination, I jumped to my feet and ran to my room. August called after me in concern, but I ignored him. I grabbed my jacket out of the closet and threw it on. Then I slipped my feet into my sneakers and marched back out to the front door. August and Dixie were both exactly where I had left them. When they saw me, they both jumped to their feet. With a shaky breath, I gripped the door handle and twisted. The door flew open and the cool spring air hit my face, full blast. I breathed a sigh of relief as I took in the surrounding area. The wolf was nowhere to be seen.

"Taryn?" Dixie called in concern.

"I'm going for a walk." I called back before stepping outside and shutting the door behind me. I needed to do this, and I wanted to do it alone. If I was ever going to get over my fear, I had to do it by myself.

I stole my courage and took the first steps onto the pavement. So far nothing had come to kill me, so I started walking down the street. My destination was the small park down the road. It was a quiet park. Not many people ever went there. It was like my garden back home. A place where I could be alone.

As I walked down the street, I couldn't help but take in the beauty that was Montana. We lived in the mountains so the landscape was gorgeous. Everything was a brilliant green. The sky was dotted with a few clouds that accented the blue of the sky perfectly. A small smile appeared on my lips as I continued walking. I didn't know what I had been so afraid of. Being outdoors again reminded me just how much I love it out here. There was no way I was going back to locking myself in the house. Wolf or no wolf, I wasn't going to let my fear ruin my life.

By the time I arrived at the small park, I was completely relaxed. I followed the well-known path through to my favorite bench. The one overlooking the valley. Distantly, I heard August take a seat on the ground underneath a tree a few feet back. I smiled then. He'd most likely come to make sure I was alright, but was giving me the space he knew I needed. I had probably freaked them both out back at the house. I wasn't surprised that he had followed me.

After a moment of sitting there, staring out over the valley, I got up and went over to sit next to August. "You alright now?" He asked quietly.

I smiled and leaned into his shoulder. "I'm fine." I assured him. "I just decided that I'd had enough of house-arrest." I laughed then. "I am such a wimp! I don't know what I was so afraid of. For all I know, it was all just a bad dream."

August wrapped his arm around me, but he didn't smile. "It wasn't a dream, Taryn. They're back. I'm glad you've found the courage to venture outdoors, but you have to take this seriously. Until we find out where they are or what they want, we have to be extremely cautious." The look in his eyes was dead serious. "Promise me you'll be careful?"

"Where have I heard that one before?" I said sarcastically. He poked me in the side and I let out a giggle. "Alright, alright. I promise I'll be careful."

"That's all I'm asking."

We sat there for a while longer, the cool mountain breeze lulling us both into a completely relaxed state. I nearly fell asleep on August's shoulder when I was jolted awake by the sound of approaching footsteps. Immediately, I was on my feet, scanning the trees. I couldn't see anything but the steps continued to grow closer.

"Who do you think it is? Friend or foe?" I asked August. Though I tried to hide it, the fear was evident in my voice.

"I don't know, but until we find out, I say we go hide over there." He point to a group of three or four large bushes. I nodded and together we raced behind them and sank to the ground.

Seconds later, Lady Tremaine appeared the wolf right beside her. My breath caught in my throat as my eyes met his bright yellow ones. I prayed with everything in me that he wouldn't see us. Or smell us I guess. August wrapped his arm around me protectively as we watched the two characters. The same three thoughts continued to race through my mind: _What are they doing here? What do they want? How did they get here?_

"When are the others returning, My Lady?" The wolf asked. His voice sending shivers of fear up my spine.

"Any moment now I would believe. Mistress said that it would be today." Lady Tremaine replied.

"Others? What others?" I whispered frantically to August. He simply shrugged and kept his eyes glued to the two in front of us.

"They're coming." The wolf growled. "Can you feel it too?"

Lady Tremaine nodded, the grin growing on her lips. "It's happening."

If felt it then too. A strange feeling in the pit of my stomach. Both hot and cold at the same time. The feeling was strong, like it was going to take over my entire body. The feeling grew until became almost unbearable pain. I sucked in a sharp breath and collapsed. Thankfully, August was quick enough to catch me before I fell on my face.

"Taryn!" He whispered. He shook me slightly, but all I could do was moan in pain. "Alright, we have to get you out of here."

Suddenly, there was a loud popping sound and the pain died instantly. My body relaxed and I was once again able to support myself. Slowly, I sat up. August looked at me with concern but I shook my head to keep him quiet. We could figure it out later. I pulled back a branch carefully so that I could see what was happening. Now, not only were the wolf and Lady Tremaine standing there, but Gaston as well. The pain hit again and I wrapped my arms around my stomach as I tried to keep from screaming. Another popping sound and Maleficent appeared.

It went on like that for quite a while. About every minute there would be a popping sound and another villain from another story would appear. Not just the Disney but the Grimm ones as well. In between each appearance the pain would return. August and I couldn't risk moving because there was a good chance we would get caught if we didn't get out before the pain hit and I had to stop.

None of the other characters seemed to be affected by it. Occasionally one of them would mention the warm fuzzy feeling in the pit of their stomach, but none seemed to be in any sort of pain. I couldn't help but wonder why.

"Please tell me I'm not the only one seeing this." I breathed as I watched another group appear seemingly out of thin-air.

"Where are they all coming from?" August asked in awe.

I shrugged. "I don't know, but this has Isis written all over it."

August nodded. "I agree. This has to be her doing."

"But how could she be behind this?" I asked. "Both she and Colton are still behind bars."

"That's what I don't get. But I'm going to find out. You with me?" August asked, looking over to me.

I grinned. "Always."

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><p>We raced back to the apartment an hour later after the appearances seemed to have stopped for the time being. Dixie was waiting for us in the kitchen. The smell of pizza coming from the hot oven.<p>

"There you are!" She greeted us. "You've been gone for almost three hours! Where were you?"

"It's a long story." I told her as I headed into the kitchen. I grabbed a glass from the cupboard and poured some water into it. I greedily drank the entire glass in nearly one gulp.

Dixie looked to August for a better explanation but he only shook his head. The look of disbelief was still in his eyes. He was having just as hard of a time believing this as I was.

"Well, someone tell me!" Dixie cried.

"They're back." I said as I leaned up against the sink and looked out the small window at the mountains behind the house. "All of them."

"Who?" She was starting to get irritated with us.

"Every single one of villains from the fairy-tales."

"No." She breathed.

"Unfortunately, she's right." August spoke up. "And it's not only the villains. All of the other characters are arriving as well."

More would be coming soon. I still had that warm fuzzy feeling in the pit of my stomach. This wasn't over yet. Suddenly, an idea came to me. I whipped around to face August with wide eyes. "If everyone else is coming through . . . that means . . . Is it possible?" I couldn't keep the smile off my face.

August shook his head. "Don't get your hopes up, Taryn. There's no way to know for certain if he can come back."

"Now who are we talking about?" Dixie asked, sounding very confused.

"Alfie."

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><p><strong>Review! :D<strong>


	4. Chapter 3

**Hello everybody! (Spoken in the voice of Gru from Despicable Me) I apologize, this chapter is a little slow, but I promise the story is about to pick up. Just bear with me a little while longer! **

**I also apologize for any spelling errors or missing words. I do read over my work, but sometimes it is very easy to miss things when it's your own writing. I do my best though. **** Thank you all for reading my stories and giving them a chance! It means the world to me! Love you all!**

**P.S. The city in Colorado is real. I've never actually been there, so other than the name and population; everything is completely crafted from my own imagination. Just thought I'd throw that in there. ;)**

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><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

Throughout the next week, more and more of the characters continued to appear. We always knew when another would appear because the pain would return. I didn't know why it was happening to me. Neither Dixie nor any of the characters seemed to be having the same reaction to it. Dixie admitted to having that warm fuzzy feeling in the pit of her stomach but that was it.

After a week of enduring it, the pain seemed to quit and I was finally able to relax. It had been happening almost every ten minutes. I had barely left my bed. There would be the occasional break of about thirty minutes, but even that wasn't long enough for me to fully recover before the pain would hit again.

August forced me to stay in bed for an extra day after the pain quit, 'just to be on the safe side'. I tried to reassure him that I was fine, but he wouldn't listen.

"I don't want you to hurt yourself." He would tell me repeatedly.

"August!" I said with exasperation after going almost an entire two full days without any pain. "They've stopped! I'm fine!"

He simply shook his head in reply, "No."

I rolled my eyes in frustration. "Look, if I don't get out of this bed soon, I'm going to go crazy, and I'll probably end up hurting myself anyway. So in a way, you're causing me pain." I tried to persuade him.

August sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Fine. Just promise me you'll be careful?"

I sighed with relief and swung my legs over the side of the bed. "When am I ever not careful?" I replied with a smirk.

All I heard in response was August calling out my name accusingly as I raced out the door of the bedroom.

"It's good to see you back up on your feet." Dixie greeted as I entered the kitchen.

"I couldn't take any more bed rest. I was literally going stir-crazy." I grabbed an apple out of the basket on the counter and held it in my teeth as I slipped on my jacket.

"Where are you headed?" August's voice sounded from the doorway.

I turned to face him and took a bite out of the apple as I pulled it from my mouth. "Out." I replied through a mouthful of apple.

"Right, I can see that. Where?"

I shrugged. "I have to talk with someone."

"Who?"

"Someone I actually don't really want to see, but I don't have much of a choice."

"I repeat, who?" August pressed.

"Isis."

"What?" Both August and Dixie shouted at the same time.

I shrugged innocently. "After two days of lying in that bed with nothing to do, I realized, it's the only way to get answers. And answers are what we need. I'll be fine, but I might be gone for a while. I have to head back to my old home town."

"You can't be serious!" Dixie breathed. When I nodded she exploded. "You're insane! You can't go back there! She could kill you . . . or worse!" I stepped back in shock as she started to pace the kitchen angrily, her arms flying around her head as if she were shooing away bugs. "It's not only Isis, but Colton will be there too! What do you think he'll do when he sees the person who literally ruined his life work?"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" I interrupted, holding my hand up to stop her. She turned to face me in surprise. "First of all, they're both behind bars. Nothing can happen to me and besides, there will be cops everywhere. Second, he ruined my life, not the other way around. If anyone is going to get angry it should be me. But I assure you that I won't let my temper get the best of me. All I'm going to do is ask Isis a few questions. I was planning on spending two nights down there, but I can make the trip back up tomorrow if that makes you feel better."

Dixie just shook her head in disbelief.

"I'm coming with you." August stated.

I was surprised at first. I had expected him to try and stop me from going like Dixie was. After a moment though, I shook my head in reply. "No, you need to stay here in case anything happens. This is where the real danger is. If anything, I'll be safer with Isis back home."

August didn't look happy about it, but agreed. "If you're not back by Thursday, I'm coming after you." He promised. His eyes fixed on mine and I could see the fear there. If it was up to him, I wouldn't leave his side. I needed to do this though. I had to find out what was going on and the only way I saw of doing that was talking to Isis.

"I'll be back before then. I promise. I'll call you if anything happens." I paused for a moment. "Be careful up here, okay? Don't do anything stupid until I get back?"

Dixie furrowed her eyebrows as she looked at me sternly. "You really are going to go on this suicide mission aren't you?"

"Yes."

She huffed in frustration and literally stomped out of the room. "You're funeral." I heard her grumble as she left.

I shook my head and breathed a small laugh. "Sometimes I really worry about her." I turned to face August then. He still looked incredibly concerned, but I was thankful he was letting me do this. "I'll be back before noon tomorrow. I promise." I told him.

In one fluid motion he'd engulfed me in a strong, yet completely gentle hug. "I know I say it a lot, but please be careful."

"I promise." I said without a trace of sarcasm this time. "I love you."

"I'll never get tired of hearing you say it."

I pulled back enough to look him in the eye. "I love you." He gave me a small smile and gave me a gentle kiss on the lips. "You had better go before I change my mind about letting you do this alone."

I grinned at him. "I'm out of here." Somewhat reluctantly, I pulled away from August's grasp and walked to the front door. "I'll see you in a few days! Tell Dixie to behave while I'm gone, will you?" I blew him a kiss and then I was out the door.

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><p>The trip down was a long one. It hadn't seemed that long when we had gone up to Montana together. Approximately twelve hours later, I arrived in Boone, Colorado. With a grand population of 342, everybody knew everybody. I knew I was going to get recognized. There was no possible way to drive through the tiny town without it happening. I just hoped I didn't meet anyone that held too much of a grudge against Colton.<p>

I doubted that Isis and Colton were still at the pathetic excuse for a jailhouse that we had here. But I had no way of knowing where they had been transferred so I had to stop by there first and find out. Hopefully, it hadn't been very far. I didn't really want to take another really long drive.

When I pulled up to the station, one of the five cops who were employed here was sitting outside. I believed his name was Connor but I couldn't be sure. I think we may have gone to school together. He wasn't that much older than me. I parked the car and quickly got out. Connor eyed the car suspiciously and when he saw me, his eyes grew big.

"Taryn!" He jumped to his feet and raced over to me. Before I knew what was happening, I had been wrapped up in a bone-crushing hug. "What are you doing back here? How have you been? I haven't seen you in years! You've changed somehow."

I was too much in shock to respond right away. I hardly expected him to remember me, let alone get that kind of greeting from him. After a moment though, I pulled myself together and cleared my throat. "I'm fine. I'm living with a couple of friends up North. And I am almost twenty-one now so I would guess that I would look a little different. I'm no longer a teenager."

Connor smirked. "You never answered my first question."

I acted confused. "Didn't I? Oh, my bad. I need to talk to Chief. Do you know where he is?"

"Gone." Connor said, almost proudly. "He was deployed to a different location. I'm 'chief' now."

"Great." I said with very little enthusiasm. Great, now I had to deal with Connor the entire time. "I really just needed to ask one quick question anyway."

"And what would that be?"

"I need to know where Isis and Colton are."

"You always did like to get right down to the point didn't you?" He chuckled slightly. "They're not here, if that's what you mean. They were transferred about a week after you left."

"Where were they transferred to?"

He shrugged. "I have no idea." I could see in his eyes that he wasn't telling the truth though. He knew exactly where they were and I was going to find out.

I narrowed my eyes at him and took a slow, threatening step forward. "You're hiding something, Connor, and I'm going to find out what. You know exactly where they are, don't you?"

Conner simply shrugged. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Where are the others, Luke and Frank?" I asked, referring to the other officers.

"I'm the only one left. There hasn't been an ounce of crime since you left, so their services were no longer required. Besides, with such a small town, they couldn't afford to pay for us just to sit around all day doing nothing."

"So it's just you." I let out a frustrated sigh. "Excuse me, will you? I have a phone call to make."

"You know, the longer I make you work for the information, the longer you'll stick around." I turned to face a smirking Connor. "I've missed you, Taryn."

It all came back to me then. It was high-school all over again. "You. You're the creepy kid who wouldn't leave me alone back in school!"

Connor grinned triumphantly. "She remembers! I let you slip away once, Taryn. I'm not letting you go again."

I rolled my eyes and backed toward the car. I didn't trust him enough to turn my back on him. "I won't be staying long, Connor. There are other ways to find people. I don't need you. Granted, you are the easy way, but you're not the only way." I grasped the door handle in my hand and pulled it open. "I'm staying one night, and if you don't choose to cooperate, I'm leaving." Without another word, I climbed into the car and drove down the street to the hotel, leaving Connor still smirking in my rearview mirror.

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><p>I checked in to the hotel, said hello to a few people who recognized me and then sat down to call August. This was going to take more than two days. I promised I would call him if I thought it was going to be longer and that's exactly what I planned to do. Besides, after that meeting, I needed to hear his voice.<p>

"Taryn?" August voice sounded both relieved and concerned on the other end.

"Hey, August. I'm here and checked into the hotel. I've talked to the police and we may have a problem."

"What is it?"

"Well . . . Chief is gone and Connor is in charge."

"That creep that stalked throughout those two years that I lived there?" His voice rose with anger as he spoke.

"Actually, he stalked me throughout all of my high-school years and even some of middle school. Look, the point is, he refuses to give me any information on Isis and Colton so this is going to take a little longer than I had originally expected."

"I'm coming down there."

"No!" I shouted. I quickly slapped a hand over my mouth and listened carefully for any sounds. As far as I knew I was the only person staying at the hotel. I couldn't cause too much commotion. The people here tended to be more than a little snoopy. "No." I repeated. "You need to stay there."

"Taryn, there is no way I am letting you be on your own down there with a creep like him."

"I'm not alone, August. There are other people here . . . all three-hundred and forty-two of 'em. Besides, I can handle Connor. I've done it before and I can do it now. He can't be any worse than any of the villains we met in the curse."

I heard August take a deep breath on the other line. "Alright, I'll stay put. But call if anything happens or if that creep tries anything and I will personally come down and punch his face in."

I smiled at how protective August could be. I loved that. Knowing that someone cared enough about me to defend me like that. It was a nice feeling. "I promise, I'll call you if anything happens or as soon as I find out anything. How are things up there?"

"Things are pretty quiet here actually. I haven't seen any sight of any of the characters. It's like they've completely fallen off the face of the earth. It's really weird actually. As many came through you would think you'd see one or two wandering the streets."

"Maybe they're hiding out. Maybe they're all just too scared of you to come out and play." I teased.

"Oh yeah, that's it. It must be all my brute strength and intimidating muscle that scares them away."

I laughed then. After hardly even smiling for the past few weeks, it felt good to laugh again.

"I should probably get some sleep. That was a long drive and I'm exhausted, and I have a feeling I'll need to be on my toes tomorrow. Connor isn't going to give up that information easily."

"You get some rest. I'm going to finish cleaning up the mess from dinner and then I'll most likely hit the hay too. I love you, Taryn."

"I love you too, August. Remember, no doing anything stupid or reckless or anything remotely dangerous until I get back, got it? I don't want to miss any of the fun."

I heard August chuckle softly. "I'll try my best to remember that."

"You'd better."

"Good night, Taryn."

"Night, August." I hung up the phone and crawled into the small bed. I hadn't brought any luggage with me, which I was realizing wasn't my smartest decision. It hadn't even crossed my mind until I was half way across the state of Wyoming. Oh well, I guess I would have to do a little shopping while I was here.

The sheets were scratchy and the mattress was as hard as a rock, but I did my best to get comfortable and within thirty minutes I was passed out.

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><p><strong>Review! <strong>


	5. Chapter 4

**So, I'm really sorry this chapter took longer to get up. I've been really sick and I've also been working more hours than I usually do so I actually haven't been on the computer much at all in the past two weeks. Hopefully, I'll be able to get the next chapter up sooner. Thank you to everyone who's reviewed, favorited, or followed! You guys are amazing! Love you all! :)**

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><p><strong>Chapter 4<strong>

The next morning, I woke with the sun. I freshened up in the tiny bathroom, made the bed and gathered my things before heading out of the hotel. I decided to stop by the store to pick up another set of clothes on my way to the police station.

I pulled up to the small store and ran inside. Everything was just as I remembered it. The simple white walls with the stained black flooring, and the smell of mold and old fabric hit me hard. It always smelled in here like your clothes do after sitting in the closet for too long. I had always washed my clothes first before wearing them to try and get rid of the smell. Sadly, I wasn't going to be as lucky this time.

As I walked through the store, I waved to a few people that I recognized. So far, thankfully, everyone I had met had been welcoming and friendly. Well, everyone except Connor, but that was expected. None of them seemed to hold a grudge against me because of what Colton had done to them.

As quickly as humanly possible, I bought a comfortable outfit of jeans, a white t-shirt and a grey hoodie. The whole stop took about five minutes. I quickly changed in the bathroom and then jumped back into the car to head back to the police station. I was determined to get an answer out of Connor, but if I couldn't, I wasn't going to waste my time. I could find Isis and Colton in other ways. This was just the easy way out.

When I pulled up to the building, Connor was sitting outside waiting. As I parked, Connor stood from his spot in the little wooden chair. The smirk grew on his face as I climbed out of the car.

"Good morning, Taryn!" He greeted much too cheerily.

"Yeah, whatever. Let's get down to business shall we? I don't have a lot of time here." I bit back. I didn't mean to be so snippy but he was starting to wear on my nerves and I hadn't even been there five whole minutes yet. It was just his presence. Something about him made me want to punch something.

"As feisty as ever. I love it!" He grinned.

I rolled my eyes and put everything I had into not slapping that stupid smirk off his face. Maybe that's why I never cared for August before the curse. He had reminded me of Connor. The way he used to purposely push all of my buttons until I was steaming mad. Well, he still did that, but in a different way now. Now it was more like he was teasing me.

"I need to know where Isis and Colton are. Are you going to tell me or not?" I asked impatiently.

Connor only smirked in response. "Wouldn't we all like to know?"

"Alright, we'll try a different approach." I took a deep breath to calm my stirring anger. "Do you know where they are? Yes or no?" I narrowed my eyes at him and watched closely. I knew, whenever Connor used to lie, his right eyebrow would raise slightly. It was just barely there, but it happened every time he lied. I figured that out in school when he used to lie to the teachers about everything under the sun. He was good at weaving the lies, if it weren't for the small give-away. As far as I knew, no one else knew about it. I wasn't even sure he was aware of it himself.

Connor simply shrugged in reply. He seemed to be thinking it over as he brought his hand to his chin. "No." He replied after a moment. "Chief was still in charge then. I didn't take over until just recently. Their relocation was classified information and I wasn't allowed to know their whereabouts." And there it was. His eyebrow slowly started lifting upward as he spoke. He was lying. He knew exactly where Isis and Colton were.

I groaned in frustration. Why couldn't he just tell me? What was the point of making me stay longer? "You aren't going to tell me where they are, are you?" I sighed in defeat.

Connor smirked. "I said I didn't know where they are. How can I tell you something I don't know?"

"You said yesterday that you were going to make me work for the information. That clearly means you know something and I want to know what." I was quickly losing patience.

"Not necessarily. What if I just said that to make you come back?"

"You're lying."

"What makes you say that?" He questioned.

It was my turn to shrug. "Call it a super-power. I can tell when people are lying, and you definitely are."

"A super-power, huh?" Connor laughed then. "Oh, Taryn, I've missed you. This town just hasn't been the same without you and your crazy antics."

"Are you going to tell me anything or not?" I asked again, my voice rising with anger.

Connor only shrugged . . . again.

I only had one other option. If it didn't work, I would have to find them on my own. This was going to get interesting. "Fine." Without another word, I turned and stormed back to my car. It took everything in me not to look back and make sure he was going to be upset about this. I kept my face forward, but I couldn't help the small smirk on my lips as I heard Connor's frantic voice.

"Wait! Taryn, where are you going?" Connor called after me.

"To go find some real help!" I called back. "I don't need you."

"Yes you do!" He started to make his way to the car, frantically. "You need me to find them! You can't do it on your own!"

"Watch me!" I bit back.

"Trust me, you'll never find them without me."

"Right. You keep telling yourself that. Meanwhile, I'm going to go now. Have a nice life, Connor. If I have anything to say about it, I won't be seeing you again." With a dramatic flourish of the hand, I climbed into the car and started the engine.

"Taryn! Don't go, please! Look, I'll tell you everything, I swear!" He pleaded. I swear, if he got down on his knees I was going to lose it.

"Everything?"

"Scout's honor."

I pretended to be hesitant before slowly shutting the engine off again. "Alright then. But this is your last chance. Next time, I really am leaving."

Connor started bobbing his head up and down so fast I thought he might fall over.

I rolled my eyes at him and climbed back out of the car. "Let's get this over with."

"Come inside, we can talk there."

Once we were seated inside, I left no room for stalling. "Okay, tell me what you know. Where are Colton and Isis?"

"As far as I know, they've been transferred to a large facility in Denver. From here, it should take you around two hours to get there. The head Sheriff there is Dan. Just tell him I sent you and he'll get you right in." He said it all in a hurry as if he were worried he'd forget something.

"See, was that so hard?" I asked mockingly. "I thank you, Connor. You've been a great help." I stood from chair and walked up to him. To his surprise, I bent over and gave him a quick hug. "Seriously, thank you. You have no idea how important this is to me." I whispered into his ear.

Connor looked up at me as I stood again. The look in his eyes wasn't exactly what I was expecting. He almost looked . . . guilty. It vanished quickly though and I questioned whether or not I had actually seen it.

"Well that was an unexpected pleasure." That stupid smirk was back and I was out of there.

"Bye, Connor. Thanks again." I ran out of the building before he could stop me. I was in the car and driving down the road before he could even move.

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><p><strong>Third Person POV<strong>

"Do you think she bought it?" Connor asked nervously. "Did I do well?"

"Extremely." A female's voice sounded from the back room. She slowly emerged and gave Connor an approving smile. "She took the bait quite nicely I believe. It won't be long now." The woman chucked, her dark hair falling over her face. "You've done well, faithful servant."

"Yeah, I really wish you wouldn't call me that." Connor grumbled with a roll of his eyes. "She's not going to get hurt, is she?" He asked. "You promised me she wouldn't get hurt."

The woman sighed. "I cannot guarantee that she will not be harmed. Her fate is now in the hands of someone else. I will have no say in the matter. All I can tell you is that she will be kept alive. Of that I am certain."

Connor didn't look happy with the woman's answer, but he didn't push it any more.

"I must leave now. I have some characters to attend to." With a small 'pop' the woman disappeared.

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><p><strong>Taryn's POV<strong>

Things were finally starting to look up. As I drove, I cranked up the music and sang along at the top of my lungs. It may have been off-key but I didn't care. No one could hear me and even if they could, I was too happy to care. My small GPS took me down some small back roads. They were fairly deserted. Occasionally, there would be a car or two, but other than that I was alone for most of the trip.

I was just thinking that I should have texted August to let him know where I was headed when something caught my sight in the review mirror. Standing in the middle of the road, looking a little lost . . . was Alfie. Or, at least, someone who looked identical to him. I hit the brakes when I saw him, the wheels squealing in protest. He simply continued to stand there and stare after the car. I shut the engine off, killing the music as well. He was still there. I would have expected him to disappear at any moment, that my mind was playing tricks on me.

His image never faded though. Slowly, I undid my seatbelt and opened the door, all-the-while keeping my eyes trained on Alfie through the rearview mirror. With a deep breathe, I got out of the car and turned to face him. Still there. This had to be real. He would have disappeared by now if it wasn't. At least, that's what I kept telling myself. I wanted nothing more than to have Alfie back.

Tentatively, I called out his name. "Alfie?"

His head snapped up to look at me. He tilted his head slightly as if confused. "Taryn?" His voice was small and full of fear. Looking at him closer, he seemed to be in bad shape. His blonde hair was dirty and sticking up in odd ways. His skin was covered in a layer of dirt and his clothes were all ripped and tattered. I realized that he wasn't wearing shoes at all.

"It's me." I assured him, taking a few slow steps forward. "Are you alright?"

He kept frowning and tilting his head as he was having a mental argument with himself. I took another few steps forward. We were just feet apart now. I was just out of arms reach.

"What are you doing out here?" I asked him gently.

His head turned to face me again and his eyes locked with mine. "Taryn?" He asked again, as if he wasn't sure it was really me.

"Yes, Alfie. It's me, Taryn. Why don't you get in the car and I can take you home, get you some food and rest. You look exhausted." I told him softly.

Suddenly, his eyes grew wide and he started shaking his head wildly. Tears clouded his blue eyes as he started backing away. "No. No, no, no, no!"

"Alfie?" I asked cautiously, taking a step forward.

"No!" He screamed. "Taryn, don't come any closer! Leave me alone! Get out of here before something happens!"

"I'm taking you with me." I said firmly, planting my hands on my hips. "Whether you like it or not."

"No!" He repeated. "You don't understand! I'm not safe! You need to leave! NOW!" Before I could react, he had leapt over the ditch and disappeared into the trees.

"Alfie!" I called after him. I took off in the direction he had left, but the further I ran, the thicker the woods became. I knew deep down, that I wouldn't be able to find him and that if I went any further, I wouldn't be able to find my way back. But I couldn't just leave him! He had seemed so scared and tired. He needed help and I wasn't going to give up.

After searching for about an hour though, I knew it was time to go. I still had to talk to Isis and I had a long drive back up to Montana. Tears trickled down my cheeks as I shuffled back toward the car. What exactly had just happened? Had that really been Alfie? If so, than what was he doing out here in the middle of nowhere? These questions and more continued to plague me as I resumed my drive to Denver. I didn't know what was going on, but I wasn't going to stop until I figured it out.

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><p>It took me just over three hours to get to Denver. It took me about another half-hour to find the facility. Thankfully the nice lady at the gas station was willing to give me directions. She even told me exactly where to go to find Sherriff Dan which shaved off a lot of time.<p>

The place was huge! If I hadn't had the directions from the lady at the gas-station, I could have been there for hours searching. As it was, I was able to find his office rather quickly. Thankfully, Sheriff Dan was there when I arrived.

"Excuse me?" I knocked lightly on the door.

"Come in." He instructed after a moment. "Taryn, I presume?" He asked before I could say a word. His back was still turned to me so I couldn't see his face, but his voice sounded strangely familiar.

"What?" I asked, confused.

"I've been expecting you." My eyes grew wide with shock as the Sheriff turned around in his chair. He was dead. Large puncture wounds marred his neck. It was almost as if he'd been bitten . . . by a wolf. I realized why that voice sounded so familiar seconds before he jumped out from behind the desk. "Hello, Taryn. Miss me?" The wolf's gravelly voice sent shivers of fear running up my spine.

"Can't say that I have." I bit back, doing my best to hide the fear that was starting to take over my body.

"It's so much nicer, being in the real world and still having the ability to talk. Here I can eat until I'm full and the meals are fairly easy to obtain. You humans are so gullible and easy to manipulate."

"Are Isis and Colton even here?" I asked, taking a step back toward the door.

The wolf laughed. "They haven't been behind bars since the day you left Boone, Colorado. As I said, gullible."

"Shut up. Who told I was coming here anyway?" The wolf rolled his eyes and the truth hit me, full force. "Connor. He's working for Isis, isn't he?"

The wolf shook his shaggy head. "Not quite. He's working for someone just a little more powerful. Someone with skills that even Isis does not possess. Someone that you are closer to than you realize."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Let's just say that this person is related to someone very close to you. I've heard that you're making some new friends up in Montana. I'd be careful which people I let get close to me if I were you. You never know who's going to stab you in the back as soon as you've turned." The wolf advanced a few steps and I retreated until my back was pressed against the closed door. "Things are about to get a little more interesting around here. Not everything is as it seems."

"So what exactly do _you _want with me?"

He smirked (if a wolf could smirk). "Out of everything I've tasted here, nothing has compared to you. My mistress wants you. Sadly, she wants you alive. How alive you are is up to me. Just as long as you're still breathing." He licked his chops hungrily. "You escaped me once, Taryn Bauer. I can guarantee it won't happen again." With that, he lunged.

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><p><strong>Haha! A cliffhanger! You're welcome! <strong>** Review! :)**


	6. Chapter 5

**I'm so sorry guys for taking so long to get this one out. Instead of boring you with another life story, let's get right into the chapter, shall we? :)**

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><p><strong>Chapter 5<strong>

**August's POV**

August hadn't heard from Taryn all day and he was starting to get worried. Absolutely nothing had happened since Taryn had left. He hadn't seen a sight of any of the characters. August spent most of his time walking around town, hoping to spot one of them, at least giving him the security of knowing where they were. Not knowing was driving him crazy.

"August!" Brett's voice sounded from the doorway of the small bakery across the street.

August turned and gave him a slight wave. He didn't feel like stopping to talk right then. All he could think about was Taryn and all the trouble she could be getting herself into.

"Why don't you come over here for a moment? I have something to show you!" Brett called over.

August rolled his eyes and sighed in defeat. Breaking into a jog, he crossed the nearly empty street. "What's up, Brett?"

The smile faded from the boy's face. Fear and confusion replacing it. "There's something weird going on here, August."

"What do you mean?" August asked, even though he had a suspicion he already knew what Brett was talking about.

"Come here." Brett motioned for August to follow him inside the bakery. "It started a few weeks ago. First it was just the bread, then it was the money, now people. I'm scared, August." Brett admitted quietly.

"Hold on, what exactly is going on here?"

Brett shrugged. "About two weeks ago, I realized that some of the food was disappearing. I'd get here in the morning and do a quick inventory check and there'd be less here than the evening before. Part-way through the week, the money started disappearing along with it." He looked at August with wide brown eyes, his shaggy brown hair falling over his face. "Then a week ago, not just here in the store, but all over town, people have started disappearing as well."

"People?" August asked in astonishment.

Brett nodded nervously. "There's something else." With a wave of his hand, Brett led August into the back room and flicked the light on. What August saw made his heart stop. "A few days ago, my uncle disappeared. This is what I found when I went to go look for him. I haven't touched a thing. I've been too afraid to."

August knew immediately what had happened, but there was no way he could tell Brett. The small back room was completely torn apart. Blood splattered the floors, walls and even the ceiling. There had definitely been a struggle. The most obvious clue though was the bloody paw prints leading out the door. The wolf had been here. August didn't know where the body was, and he wasn't eager to find out.

"There must be a rabid dog or something on the loose. Look at those prints." Brett said, pointing a shaking finger at the floor. "But what in the world would a dog need with money? That's the only part I don't get." He shrugged. "It seems to have moved on though because there haven't been any disappearances in the past two days. I say good-riddance to it."

August's heart dropped. So the wolf was no longer here. That could only mean one thing. Taryn was in trouble.

August spent the remainder of the next two days repeatedly calling Taryn's phone. She never once answered. He must have left her at least fifty messages. Each one more desperate than the next. Dixie had joined him, sending her texts and leaving her messages. The longer they went without a reply, the more scared August became.

"I'm sure she's fine." Dixie tried to reassure him. "Maybe her phone died and she doesn't have anywhere to plug it in. I know the car charger doesn't work. Just because she's not answering, doesn't mean she's dead."

"I'm heading back into town to see if I can find anything. I have my phone on me. Call me as soon as you hear anything." He instructed Dixie.

"Will do." Dixie said, saluting him slightly.

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><p><strong>Taryn's POV<strong>

As soon as the wolf lunged, I knew I was dead. My hand groped for the door handle, but there wasn't enough time. I dove to the side just in the nick-of-time. I felt the wolf's fur against my arm as he just barely missed me. I leapt to my feet immediately, right as the wolf turned to face me. He was growling loudly and snapping his jaws dangerously. It was a nightmare come true. I thought I had escaped this. I thought this was all over. Just goes to show that nothing is ever as it seems.

Tears threatened, but I pushed them back. Slowly, I started inching my way toward the desk. The wolf followed carefully, his eyes never leaving mine. I almost wished he would just attack already. The waiting was almost worse. "So," I started casually, making the wolf's growl deepen. "How alive are you planning on keeping me?"

"Just barely breathing." He bit back.

"Oh, great! Something to look forward to then." I replied sarcastically. "I have to ask though. I beat you once. What makes you think I won't do it again?"

"Enough talking!" The wolf barked before leaping at me again. So apparently he didn't have a good answer.

I bit back a scream and rolled under his airborne body. Without looking back, I threw open the door and dove through it. I slammed the door shut behind me with my foot. Almost immediately after, I heard the wolf collide with the hard wood and a smirk appeared on my lips. "That'll teach you to mess with me."

I didn't stick around very long. I jumped to my feet and raced out to the parking lot. It took me a minute to find the car. The parking lot had filled up since I'd first arrived. When I finally found it, I threw open the door and jumped inside. My heart sank though as I turned the key. The engine gave a little sputter and then died altogether. "No!" I shouted, hitting the steering wheel with my fist. "C'mon, c'mon!" I urged it as I tried the key again. Nothing.

With a sigh of defeat, I scrambled back out of the car and took off toward the street. I'd never make it if I had to go on foot, but I had to try. On the way into the city, I had seen a train station. If I was fast enough I might be possible for me to catch one. I'd at least be able to reach the top of Colorado that way. From there, I'm not sure what I was going to do, but it was a start.

Without looking back, I took off in the direction of the train station. As I ran, I pulled my phone out of my pocket. Maybe August would have a way to come pick me up.

"I found you." The wolf's voice sounded behind me.

I screamed in surprise and spun to face the snarling, over-sized dog. In the process, I dropped my phone, causing it to shatter on the pavement. There would be no fixing it.

"Although I do love a good chase, I would prefer if you would stay still for this." The wolf growled at me.

I raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "Really? Did you seriously just suggest that I stand here and let you tear me apart? I don't think so! Later, wolf-man." I spun and ran with everything I had then. I could hear him growl in frustration and then take off after me.

He may have been bigger and faster than me, but I was able to maneuver around the obstacles better. His massive size made it difficult for him to make sharp turns. I used that to my advantage. People would yelp in surprise as I would go barreling past, the wolf hot on my heels. A few picked up their phones to call the police, but I knew it wouldn't do any good. If anyone else were to get involved, the wolf would just tear them apart.

As I wove my way through the city, I did my best to keep track of where I was going. I wasn't the best when it came to navigating my way around, especially in a big city I didn't know while being chased by a demon wolf. The odds were quickly piling up against me. My only chance was to board a train without the wolf knowing. If he were to get on the same train as me, I'd be a dead man. Well, dead woman I guess.

The train station was just up ahead. I could clearly see the large building, people streaming in and out the front doors. It was straight ahead of me, so naturally, I hung a right. I'd been traveling in a straight line for too long and the wolf had started to gain on me. The sudden turn gave me a little extra breathing room. Not that I could breathe. I was so out of breath I thought I was going to pass out. I hadn't run this much in my entire life. I was surprised I had fallen over dead yet.

The wolf's low growl was always present. No matter which way I turned or where I went, the low hum of his throat was always there to remind me that he wasn't far behind. That I couldn't slow down. I tried hiding a few times. Turning a corner and jumping into a bush or a trash can (yeah, that wasn't the most pleasant experience) but his nose was always able to sniff me out. I had barely escaped with my life the last time so I decided against doing that again.

I ran around the block and entered the train station from the back entrance. I turned to see the wolf go barreling past as he tried to slow down enough to make the turn and follow me. A grin appeared on my lips. If nothing else, the wolf was a great source of entertainment.

"The next train will depart in one minute." The voice sounded over the speakers.

"That's my cue." I lost myself in the crowd of people hurrying to catch the train. Thankfully, I had just climbed aboard when the doors closed behind me. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that the wolf wasn't on board. I'd made it. I was going home.

A piercing scream sounded from several cars down on the train. My head whipped around in that direction, along with everyone else in my car. Distantly, people started screaming in terror. One word stuck out above the rest. "Wolf" How had he gotten on board?

Without another thought, I turned and started booking it to the other end of the train. Apologizing to the people I accidently knocked over, tripped or stepped on, I ran through each of the cars without looking back.

I finally made it to the front of the train. The only place left to go was the driver's car. I started kicking myself then. I was trapped with nowhere else to go and the wolf was still advancing. I could be so stupid sometimes.

I made a noise that was somewhere between a grunt of frustration and a squeak of fear. I have to say that it was one of the strangest sounds I had ever made.

I tried the door handle but it was locked. Of course, they didn't want the passengers entering this car. So I resorted to banging on the door and yelling for them to open up.

What seemed like forever later, the door opened and an angry looking young man stood in the doorway. "What?" He bit out angrily.

I raised an eyebrow in shock. "Someone got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning."

The man rolled his eyes and started to close the door again but I jammed my foot in between the door and the frame before it could fully close. I winced in pain as the door collided with my foot. "What are you doing?" The man asked in impatience.

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm causing myself as much pain as possible by keeping my foot in the door."

With a sigh of frustration the man opened the door again but I kept my foot where it was.

"Look, I need your help."

"You need my help?" The man asked skeptically.

"I know. It's hard for me to believe too. You're a little too smiley for me. Usually I go for the crabbier looking people." I mocked him.

The man glared at me and started to shut the door again. He didn't even seem fazed by the fact that my foot was still in the way. Just then, I heard the distinct growl of the wolf, not far behind me. People were still screaming in fear all throughout the train. If the man noticed he didn't show it.

"I don't have time for this." Without waiting for a reply, I plowed past him, slamming the door behind me and bolting it shut again. I then proceeded to pile everything I could find up against the door. "How much longer until we reach our destination?" I asked in a casual tone as I ran around the compartment finding anything I could to pile against the door.

"We have about . . . what are you doing?" He asked. I just shrugged and kept going about my business. The scratching at the door from the wolf shut him up. "What is that?"

"_That_ . . . would be a very ticked off wolf who would love to tear me apart." I stopped to look at my pathetic barricade.

"What's it doing on my train?" The man shouted at me.

"It's not my fault, thank you very much." I bit back. "Do you have a phone I can use?"

"Yes, but it's completely dead. I forgot to charge it before I left." He didn't look at all sorry.

"Of course. What else could go wrong? Don't answer that!" I spoke to the sky. "It was a rhetorical question!"

"Who are you talking to?"

It was my turn to roll my eyes. "Who does it look like I'm talking too?" I gave him a duh look and then went and planted myself in the corner of the car. "This is going to be a long trip."

* * *

><p>We arrived at our destination what felt like an eternity later. The entire trip, the scratching and growling at the door never ceased. Thankfully the door had held. I was exhausted. All I wanted to do was sleep, but I couldn't do that. There would be time for that later. For now, I had to stay on my guard.<p>

"I'm curious." John spoke up. (I found the guy's name was John) "How are you planning on getting off the train? Or me for that matter? I can't just walk out the door."

"Yeah, I've been trying to figure that out myself. Does this place have an emergency exit?" I asked. I had looked around but couldn't find one.

"Yeah, right outside the door."

"Great. So that leaves me with one option."

"What's that?"

"This." I grabbed John's sweatshirt off the back of his chair and wrapped it around my hand. Then I sent my fist flying through the front window.

"Hey!" John protested. "I have to pay for that you know!"

I shrugged and tossed him back his shirt after clearing away the broken glass. "It was either that or get eaten by the demented wolf."

"You know, on second thought. I like it better this way. Windshields are so overrated."

I grinned. "That's the spirit." I was first to pull myself through the now open window and slide to the ground below. I turned and made sure John made it down safely.

"Where will you go now?" John asked, concern showing in his eyes.

"Aww, you do care!" I placed my hand to my heart over-dramatically. John rolled his eyes but he cracked a smile. "Home." I answered.

"Where is that?"

"Ah, now see. That's classified. I'll be fine, but you should get out of here before the wolf realizes that I'm no longer on the train. If you're caught hanging around me, it could end badly for both of us."

"Well, Taryn. I suppose this is good-bye. I doubt out paths will cross again, but for what it's worth . . . I hope they do."

I didn't give a reply. I just smiled at him in thanks and turned to run toward the building's exit. I threw open the door, the sunlight shining through nearly blinding me. As I barreled through, I collided with another person, sending me sprawling backwards. Thankfully I was able to keep my feet under me.

"Sorry." I apologized as I looked up to meet the person's eyes.

"It's alright, Taryn. We all know you're clumsy." Alfie replied, his eyes glinting dangerously.

"Alfie!" I exclaimed in shock before frowning in confusion. "How'd you get here so fast?" Alfie simply smiled a dangerous looking smile. "What's the matter? Why are you smiling like that?"

"You know, Taryn. You really aren't the brightest bulb in the bunch, are you?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" I demanded, my voice rising in anger. What was going on here? Why was Alfie acting so strangely? Distantly, I could hear the screams of fear coming from the people in the station. The wolf was off the train. I didn't have much time before he found me. "Look, Alfie. I can't hang around here. You're coming with me, no arguments. Got it? We're going home."

Alfie smiled again. That same dangerous smile that sent shivers racing up my spine in fear. "I don't think so. You're coming with me." For a second, I saw a flash of fear cross his face, but it disappeared just as quickly. I knew I'd seen it though.

"Fine." I complied. "Whatever. Let's just get out of here, okay?"

My answer seemed to please him and he motioned for me to follow him. As I did, I took the time to look him over. He still looked like crap. His clothes were torn, his hair was a tangled mess and his blue eyes seemed duller than normal. The way he held himself, it was almost as if he were in constant pain. It killed me to see him like this. That is, until he started acting like a total jerk and then I forgot all about feeling sorry for him. What was his problem anyway?

We eventually reached his car. A small blue Ford. He told me to get in and I gladly complied. I could hear the wolf closing in behind us and I would rather face a deranged Alfie then a demon wolf. Alfie ran around the other side, got inside and started the car.

"Where are we going?" I asked, almost afraid to know the answer.

"To see a friend."

I didn't like the sound of that. "Who exactly is this friend?"

Alfie just smiled.

"You've got to be kidding me! There is no way I'm letting you take me to Isis." I protested.

Alfie chuckled. "Please! Like I would associate myself with her. I'm not that low, Taryn. We're going to see someone with a little more power."

"The lady the wolf was talking about earlier." I realized. "You've got to be kidding me! You're working for her now? Who are you and what have you done with Alfie!"

"I am very much Alfie. Don't you recognize me, Taryn?"

"No. I don't recognize you at all. The Alfie I knew would never work for the enemy. He fought against them with his last breath. He gave his life to save us. You are not Alfie!" Tears stung my eyes as I looked at the boy sitting next to me. He looked so much like him, I wanted to believe it was really him, but I couldn't. Alfie would never work for anyone associated with Isis.

Alfie didn't answer. He seemed to get lost in his own thoughts after that. The rest of the ride was spent in silence.

* * *

><p>After several hours, I started recognizing my surroundings. We were headed back toward home! Of course, he didn't know that, and I was going to keep it that way. If I could somehow get away, it wouldn't be that far to the house. Maybe a day's walk. At least then I would have some back-up.<p>

"I know you live around here, but don't be getting any ideas." Alfie spoke up. _Well, so much for that brilliant idea._ "You cooperate and we won't hurt your friends."

"Who's we?" I questioned.

Alfie just smirked.

"Fine, don't answer me. See if I care." I grumbled.

* * *

><p>A while later, I was jerked forward as Alfie hit the brakes, the wheels screeching in protest. "What was that for?" I shouted. My heart was racing a million miles an minute. I turned to find Alfie staring at me, wide-eyed. His eyes seemed to have brightened back to their normal selves. He looked truly frightened. "Alfie?" I asked cautiously.<p>

"Get out, Taryn!" He demanded, his voice shaking as if it was taking great effort for him to speak.

"What?" I asked in shock. I looked out the window. We were still going at least thirty and there was a large dip off the side of the road. "Are you crazy?" I asked, turning back to face him.

"Please!" He pleaded, tears building in his eyes. "I can't hold him back much longer! I don't want to hurt you!"

"Alfie, what is going on?" I demanded.

"We don't have time, Taryn!" I looked and realized that we were slowly gaining speed again. "Jump! Now! Then run and don't look back! Whatever you do, don't let me catch you!"

"I'm not leaving you." I insisted. "What is going on here?"

"Please, Taryn!" Tears were falling from his eyes now as he pleaded with me. "I can't hold this much longer! You have to go now!" As if on cue, his eyes dulled again and the anger returned. The car started gaining speed increasingly.

"Alfie?" I asked again in confusion.

"Yes, Taryn?" He smirked. Alfie was gone again. Whoever this was, it wasn't Alfie.

"That's it." I said before, unbuckling and throwing my door open.

"What are you doing?" Alfie demanded angrily.

"What you asked me to do. I'm jumping." _This has to be the craziest thing I've ever done._ I decided before leaping from my seat.

I heard Alfie shout in shock and anger and hit the brakes but I didn't have time to worry about that. I tucked myself into a ball and rolled down the incline to the grass below. I jumped to my feet immediately and nearly screamed in pain. The world was spinning around me and my ankle was on fire. I must have twisted it on my way down. Doing my best to ignore the pain, I followed Alfie's instructions and raced into the trees, never looking back.

* * *

><p><strong>Review? You know, if you feel like it. ;)<strong>


	7. AN

**Hi guys. I'm guessing you've already figured out that this isn't a real chapter. I just wanted to let you guys know that I'm not going to be able to update as regularly as I would like. I'm definitely going to finish the story I just won't be able to update as often. Unless of course, you don't think I should continue . . . let me know? **

**I really am sorry and didn't want to do this but I don't have much of a choice right now. Just bear with me and the chapters will continue to come in. :) Love you all! Thank you to everyone who's stuck with me so far! You're all amazing!**


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